


The More Things Change

by ozsia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 幽☆遊☆白書 | YuYu Hakusho: Ghost Files
Genre: (He still misses Yusuke's Mazoku blood), Alternate Universe - Twins, Dumbledore Bashing, Gen, Harry Potter Needs a Hug, Harry and Yusuke are Brothers AU, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, It was just a very bad day, Koenma's investigation turns something up after all, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-06 09:37:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14054094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ozsia/pseuds/ozsia
Summary: The results on the investigation Koenma had ordered on Yusuke when the boy had been given the title of Spirit Detective, had been shifted from one department to the next, the process slowed by the recent criminal activity. Now, Koenma had a folder in his hand and his head was spinning.Yusuke as it turned out, had a brother and this would prove to be a very long day.





	1. Torn Apart

The Astronomy Tower is high and the twins have never thought about what protections the old battlements of Hogwarts may be imbued with, never stopped to wonder between their late night classes and flying overhead what would happen if someone were to fall from its height. 

The Astronomy Tower is high and Harry stands on the edge to oblivion.

Fred's breath hitches and George stops just as Fred has, as they see him at the same time. The recognition of that back - one which is always so small and burdened, was instantaneous. They'd know it anywhere. _‘Harry!_ ’ George screams gutturally, lurching forward even as his feet remain planted. Harry’s body tenses and Fred feels like he’s swallowed his tongue, fear engulfing him as the situation they've stumbled onto dawns on him.

Dull green eyes blink at them through the rain as Harry turns cheek. His side profile - with the paleness of his skin is in such contrast to the darkness of the night, that it looks like he’s been cut out from the sky. ‘Hi,’ he whispers. His voice sends a shiver down Fred’s spine because he and George have seen Harry through some of the hardest years of his life. He’s always so resilient, but even at his worst, Harry's never sounded like this.

‘Harry -’

‘What -’

‘Are you doing?’ Fred finishes. What's happened? What's happened to finally bring Harry to this? His legs tremble, feet shuffling across the wet stone floor, without the courage to pick them up. Afraid that should he go forward, Harry will move backwards. 

‘Thinking,’ Harry replies. It’s so monotonous and flat and Fred hates it,  _hates_  that it isn’t dryly amused or smug or fuming or -  _something,_ something other than despondent. Harry's always so colourful, even at his calmest; apathy just isn't something Fred associates with him.

‘Well -’ George flounders, unsure what to do but desperate to get Harry away from the ledge. ‘We - we could, help -’

‘Be your soundboard,’ Fred encourages as Harry continues to stare at them so blankly it's unnatural. 

‘Anything you need,’ George adds and _Merlin_ it's raining, it's like standing in ice up here - they can see their breath. How long has Harry been out in this? With how moulded his clothes are to his body, Fred worries that it’s been  _too long._

‘Just -  _talk to us,’_ Fred insists as he helplessly reaches out with hands that he fears are far too numb to support anything, never mind pull Harry away from the ledge, to drag Harry to them. ‘You know your secrets are safe with us.’

‘Do I?’ Harry muses impassively but it’s sharper than before and Fred can’t work out if that’s a good thing or not. They’ve gotten used to Harry’s ticks, the cues he gave away, mainly to avoid Harry’s mammoth temper. It's emptied the common room more than once. Now, Fred can’t tell with Harry acting so unlike himself. ‘Do I know that?’

Fred feels sick but he can't falter here. ‘Never betrayed a Potter, us -’

‘Good at our word too,’

‘And we've always believed in you,’ Fred adds, hopeful that may mean something to Harry, that it may show them to be trustworthy if Harry is hesitating with loyalty now. Not one year had the twins stepped away from Harry’s side even if they could have been more supportive, even if there _was_ more that they could have done. They hadn’t cared about the points or believed those _stupid_ "Heir of Slytherin"rumours, they knew Harry hadn’t put his name into the goblet and that he's right about Voldemort’s return.

That must mean something, right?

Harry’s face wavers. ‘If some new plot against the school’s cropped up -’ George begins because who knows, right? A day in the life of Harry Potter; they'd been spectators for awhile now and something seems to happen up every year.

‘Or something equally dastardly -’

‘We’ll help,’ George swears as heartfelt as anyone can be.

‘We aren’t Ron and Hermione but - _anything_ , Harry.’ Though perhaps he shouldn't have mentioned them. It is obvious to any Gryffindor that there's a tension between the group, not that Fred can really blame Harry with how Ron behaved with the tournament. Neither of them had written to Harry over the hols, either, after Sirius died and the fall out of that hasn't truly healed. ‘Truly, anything but -’

‘We need your help -’

‘To understand -’

‘Because we’re a bit lost.’ Fred’s heart's hammering against his chest as he watches Harry consider them in a way he never has before. Maybe they've taken for granted that Harry felt save with them, the things he let them get away with in exasperation and good humour.

‘What if…’ Harry begins lowly, tempered to the point of tonelessness. ‘What if it isn’t a plot against the school?’

Fred could scream if he thought it would do any good. George's already biting his lip. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Fred insists urgently. ‘Whatever if is, you’ve got us.’

‘No matter what,’ George promises, hoarsely.

Harry blinks slowly, and Fred hates not being able to tell if the water droplets clinging to Harry’s eyelashes are tears or the rain. ‘What about Dumbledore?’

‘Screw Dumbledore!’ George snaps. Fred, with his heart thundering in his chest and a brother on the line - on the _ledge of a tower,_ cannot possibly disagree. ‘And the papers and Fudge  _and_  the Ministry.’

‘This is probably a big ask,’ Fred finds himself saying, lips numb. ‘But just -’

‘Trust us,’ George implores.

Harry looks between them, seeming impossibly young and too old with the responsibility that the life he’s grown into has given him. Fred's used to Harry always looking just old  _enough,_ if you didn’t think about it. If you instead remembered the stories of Harry Potter growing up, of the boy living one big adventure, pulled straight out of fantasy with a narrative always written in his favour.

This wasn’t that Harry Potter; the Harry they knew is short and underfed with holes in his clothes and eyes that have seen too much, that are constantly  _looking._ Harry who just wanted to go to school and have friends and not have to live up to the expectations of a world who thought they knew Harry, while still reimagining him as a hero.

This Harry - this Harry has been pushed and pulled; played dress-up for people who never appreciates it, headed a cause he’s never signed up for. This Harry is on a ledge.

This Harry fell.

Fred springs up from his mattress, gasping like he’d just finished a seven hour game of Quidditch. His eyes jump frantically around the room, drowning in shadows and the image of Harry tilting backwards to somewhere he couldn’t follow, presses its awful fantasy in the dark. It haunts him enough to fuel several boggarts. 

Fred almost jumps out of his skin when hands grab hold of him, gentle but firm. A yell on the edge of his tongue that he doesn't quite have the air to produce. ‘Fred,’ George whispers urgently. ‘ _Fred_ , it’s okay.’

‘Okay?’ Fred repeats incredulously. Moonlight's steaming in through the window and it's just enough for him to be able to make out George’s eyes, glowing sliver and soft and wet in moonbeams. ‘Okay?’

‘It was a dream,’ George states because they’ve never truly had to tell one another anything. ‘It was a dream. He’s fine,’ George adds with a tilt to the side. A movement Fred follows to the bed opposite them, to the lump that's Harry, curled under his duvet.

 _A nightmare,_ Fred thinks tensely for a moment as he drinks in the sight of his friend, before even that is ruined with the melancholy of Harry's anxious form, even in slumber.  Fred breathes out quietly and flops back down, head hitting his damp pillow harshly. He ignores how the back of his skull thumps in protest. He throws an arm over his face, tries to inhale again as George furled further into his side, despite how hot it already is.

Fred swallows as he remembers Harry and that encounter, recalling it again in terrible detail. Harry and how he trembled, but also how he hadn’t fallen. Who they’d talked down; somehow, by some miracle, grasped hold of and was able to tug towards them and made talk. Harry who they’d then skedaddled with, without so much a word to anyone. They’d flown away and when they’d reached Diagon, found some place to stay.

 _Right,_ Fred thinks as he is forced to listen to the pounding of his chest.  _Harry’s - fine. "Fine". Alive is probably more accurate, but he would be fine._

They’d make sure of that. They'd stay here, in the B&B overnight, and further travel wouldn't even put a dent into the money Harry had given them; they'd be able to get Harry where he needs to go if they are careful. They'd make it and if they're caught, well... 

Fred Weasley's got a very good argument prepared for “kidnapping” Harry Potter, though he doesn’t think the Wizengamot would find it all that compelling. George wouldn’t care all that much for reasoning - he'd be too busy being angry, and would be more likely to spit in the Head Warlock’s face than justify  _doing the right thing,_ in recusing their pseudo-brother.

'We'll have to leave early tomorrow - today...' Fred states wearily, though just the thought of getting up was enough to make him tired. Not helped by the knowledge that he's unlikely to get to sleep again after that nightmare and it would be his last chance.

‘Getting him out of the country’s going to be difficult,’ George growls softly, a deep rumble that vibrated through Fred’s chest. He's just glad that Harry had fallen into exhaustion, out like a light as soon as his head touched the pillow. Emotionally he's spent, though Fred feels guilty about being so relieved that he hadn't had to see anymore tears.

‘Once those potions burn out of his blood it’ll be easier,’ Fred responds with far more patience. Between them, he's got the better temper though he isn’t in much mind to restrain his twin. Things had gone far beyond schoolyard bullying and the bigotry that Harry's commonly suffered through Hogwarts, which was already worse than they knew how to deal with. Retaliatory pranks just weren’t going to cut it this time. 

‘He still won’t have any papers,’ George grits out as he clenches and unclenches his hands into Fred’s shirt. Few things ruffle them which probably had a lot to do with how they were brought up; disappearing into the background of their other siblings, watching the repercussions of a war that wasn’t dealt with, which’d been buried and covered up because everyone would much rather pretend it’d never happened.

‘We stay quiet enough and that won’t matter too much.’ Fred sighs as he reluctantly thinks about stowing away to Japan of all places. It was further then would be ideal but nothing about this situation is simple, so why make the destination easily attainable? Anywhere in Europe would be preferable. If they made a mistake and got caught in Asia it’ll be a huge mess of legalities. At least with the European Alliance of Magic, they are allowed to travel to other European countries without documentation.

They’re quiet again, they're often quiet in each other’s company and it's usually because they didn’t need words to communicate with each other. Tonight, it's because the shock's still bubbling in their stomachs like a potion ready to explode, and they're both unsettled by what they’ve learnt, from what they’ve seen.

‘…we just need to get this right,’ George whispers as his hands curl into tighter fists around the duvet. The skin under his eyes are tight and his mouth is grim, and he's no doubt envisaging Harry standing on that ledge. ‘We can’t - fail.’

Fred swallows around the tightness of his throat, rather that be from nausea or tears he isn’t sure. It's been a long draining day - month, year. Whichever. How they’d ever managed to talk Harry down - Fred didn’t know. He felt honoured that Harry had taken his hand, that Harry had allowed them to help but it's also terrifying. He can still feel it: grasping hold of Harry’s thin wrist, hearing his heart against the buds of Fred’s fingers.

The doubt of somehow failing this task they’ve been given, and putting Harry back on that ledge - of not being able to talk him out of it again, set heavily on Fred’s shoulders. They owed Harry a lot, not only because he’d saved their little sister, age twelve and nearly died in the process. He’s been a good friend to them - is a good person, and deserves a heck of a lot better than what his life has been so far.

‘We won’t,’ Fred says with as much conviction as he can muster. ‘We don’t have a choice.’

He’s never seen Harry cry before, but Ron said - mentioned just the once, that it's quiet and hidden when it happened. Fred believed it, didn’t think Harry ever had anyone who cared for his tears before. Fred didn’t care much for them either, though that was because he wanted Harry happy, not because it was a bother.

 _'Goblins,'_  Harry said between sobs, trembling between them where they had fallen to the ground in one large huddle. It was cold and wet but none of them could move. _'Goblins contracted me and I thought - I thought it was about Sirius.'_

 _'What did they want?'_  George asked, probably ready to go start another Goblin war if it turned that all of this was their fault. Fred wasn't feeling all that magnanimous either.

 _'Nothing. Nothing, he was just - just a proxy.'_  Harry's voice was thready and failing him, and maybe it was worse than the emotionless thing the twin's had gotten before. It was hard to decide.  _'I've - I've got family. Family that's_ alive.' 

'... _what?'_ Fred said weakly, hands numb with shock as terror attempted to curl tighter around the arm he was grasping. Harry's trembling and he didn't think it was from the cold. 

 _'I have family. Family that - and Koenma - the proxy - he had all this documentation and a - a family tree. Like the one Sirius' had on the wall and...and everything's wrong. There's just the Durleys'. Dumbledore said that the Durleys' were the only ones left.' _ Tears pour down Harry's cheeks, like a flood from a broken dam, washed away from the rain. 

‘…I’m gonna kill him,’ George mutters into Fred's shirt and it's probably dirty; they didn't stick around to collect their things from the dorms. Harry hadn't been in any state too and with all the pranks the twins had played recently, they couldn't risk getting caught up with a teacher.

‘No,’ Fred says, tasting something acidic on his tongue as he does so. ‘No you’re not.’

‘I will,’ George insists with the worst of their fire. Fire that burnt too hot sometimes. Fire that had them crossing lines they knew were in the sand. Fred has a calmer had but not always. 

‘No,’ Fred repeats, feeling tired and empty. ‘Harry wouldn’t want you to.’

George inhales sharply and for a moment he's quiet. ‘He should.’

Fred almost laughs but it's too choked, too raw. ‘Wouldn’t be Harry, otherwise.’ 

Harry had books written about him where he's portrayed as a white knight from tales of old, in reality he's different; the only thing that really remained the same was that he's a hero. Remarkably kind and sometimes too gentle. 

_'Who - Who's Koenma?'_ Fred asked as he desperately tried to get his heart under control, calm its frantic beating. 

_‘Koenma - he’s…the son of the ruler of the Spirit World,’_  Harry had said. _‘He said...’_

_'He said what?'_ George prompted while ignoring the more fantastical element of what they were being told. It just wasn't that important, not with the actual focus of this story.

Harry took a breath. _'He said a lot. He...'_ Harry laughed and it wasn't a nice sound.  _‘A brother. I have a brother and my brother - he works for Koenma. I have a_ brother _.'_ Every repetition becomes just a little more hysterical like the emotions are rushing back into him and they don't all quite fit. 

George attempts to make calming sounds from a throat too sore and Fred rubs up and down Harry's spine with a hand he can't feel. ' _So? How's this fit in?'_ Fred questioned to try to understand this. 

' _Koenma ran this - this background_ _check and he…found me, and it got him to track me down.’_  Harry wavers though he’d been rushing his words, chews on his lip something vicious. ' _My...Y-Yusuke, he - he doesn't or...he didn't know about me, either.'_

Fred had blanked at the name, so foreign sounding and odd. ' _And...you know that...' that this is real?_

Harry shudders. _‘I - I stormed off for a bit. Talked to the Goblins. They had a lot to say after I…’_

 _‘After what?’_ Fred asked in fear that Harry had done something stupid.

_‘Bribed them,'_ Harry admitted and Fred almost had it in him to laugh at that, _'but it's true. It's true. I have family.’_

Fred thinks the astonished, hopeful _“I have family,”_ will come to be just another tragic thing he’ll come to associate with Harry. It wasn’t as tragic as the other collected anecdotes Fred had stored away, but it certainly wasn’t as happy as it should be.

_'I have family and they were_ hidden _from me, they were - Dumbledore_ knew _. The papers - he signed off on sending my brother half-way around the round and didn't tell me, even after - even after -'_ Harry sobs then, strangled like the sound was too large for his throat.

_'Breathe, Harry._ Breathe _,'_ Fred reminded and it barely helped but Harry obeyed with wide eyes that gleamed so wetly. One breath, two, three, four in. Out. In.

_ 'Even after Dumbledore promised. He promised, that he'd tell me the truth and I thought he had when he told me about the prophecy, and all this time...'  _ Harry trailed off and slumped further forward.

_'Prophecy?'_ Prophecies were bad news; complicated, old magic that loomed over those involved in one. They'd speak of sacrifices and tragedy and told of great change. No one with sense wanted to be named in a prophecy.

Harry nodded shakily and whispered _'Voldemort,'_ and it was enough for Fred to understand, for him to catch on as he shared a look with George over Harry's head as terror once again clenches his gut, _'I'm the one that has to defeat Voldemort. It's - it's why my parents are dead.'_

_'Hey,'_ George soothed chidingly, _'your parents were fighters, like you are; they'd have been involved regardless.'_

Harry bit into his lip and didn't respond, doesn't believe. 

_'Okay,'_ Fred said.

' _What do you want to do, then?'_ George continued.

Harry looked up at them with wide eyes and by Merlin that had hurt. 

‘I can’t just -’

‘George,’ Fred interrupts as his heart thuds uncomfortably in his chest, ‘whatever’s going on, we’ll find out more, once we’re in Japan. This Koenma guy told Harry he’d meet him there; would know when Harry arrived and we’ll…' Fred pauses uncertainly, 'but we’re not gonna be stupid because Dumbledore wouldn’t have just  _done_  this.’

‘You’re not excusing it,’ George states because he knew better, but also because Fred hadn’t worded that the best.

‘Merlin no,’ Fred says, ‘but there’s more going on than we know and we have to be smart. I didn’t even know that the Potter’s _had_ a branch out in Japan. That Dumbledore would…there’s a reason and he choose to send Yusuke there...’

‘They’re an old family,’ George states.

‘Yeah, all the more fucked up this is.’

‘Agreed.’

‘Lines like Harry’s are protected. Twins aren’t - they aren’t  _meant_  to be separated.’ Things that George knew but some things Fred just wanted to give a voice to. ‘…if Sirius was still alive…’

George sighs after a moments pause. ‘It probably has something to do with Voldy and that stupid prophecy.’

Fred feels himself smile, it is bitter, caustic. ‘When hasn't it been?’ Sounds like Harry's whole life had revolved around this.

‘We’ll work it out.’

‘Right,’ Fred agrees.

‘And then I’m punching him in the face.’

‘How muggle,’ Fred comments without care. There was a certain catharsis to just - hitting a problem, took out the middleman. It wasn’t a sentiment many shared but they're progressive.

‘Harry’s rubbed off on me.’

Little bruiser, is Harry. All this magic, and yet sometimes he forgets he has a wand. Came from a lifetime without it but still having to defend himself, Fred knows. It isn’t hard to guess. No one's as defensive as Harry without a reason.

‘It's just...’

'Hard to swallow,' Fred finishes in understanding .

‘…Dumbledore...’

‘After Voldy attacked, Harry was “marked as his equal” and - and Dumbledore -’

‘He, got rid of -’

‘A distraction?’ Fred suggests as his stomach turned. ‘Sent the brother off to Japan, left Harry here, where he had to be to play hero without anyone to get in the way?’ It's a guess, a presumption but Dumbledore - despite how grandfatherly he may present himself as - is a leader, he's won a war already, and there's a harder side to the man. Fred can see it sometimes and now it's _all_ he can see. 

‘…we’re getting Harry to Japan, and out of England,’ George states finally, venom in his tone because he’s being made to take theories under consideration he’d much rather disbelieve on principle.

‘No arguments here.’

‘..Mum’s gonna kill us when we get back.’

‘Probably,’ Fred replies dryly and although he has a healthy fear of his mother, he finds himself caring very little about it. It just - isn’t as important. She’ll either understand or she won’t.

‘Forge?’

‘Yeah, Gred?’

‘Do you think that Harry…?’

‘You think he knows?’ Fred finishes for him.

‘You think he knows why?’

Fred kisses his teeth. ‘Thing about Harry,’ he finds himself saying, ‘is that he’s been at this whole hero-ing business a long time.’

‘Yeah,’ George agrees quietly.

‘It's probably one of the first things that went through his head.’ Fred didn’t think they have all the answers yet, and with how much they’ve already gone through, it likely isn’t going to surprise them but Harry's good with people. He can work them out instinctively; thought like an auror too, it's how he's risen to every challenge thrown his way. He'll have figured something similar, it's just the way he works.

George sighs. ‘I wish this Koenma could have got us there.’

Fred huffs. ‘That would have been too easy.’

‘Can’t have that,’ George says sarcastically.

Fred thinks of Harry’s face, how he’d just collapsed into bed, refused anything to eat and instead fell right into sleep. ‘The sooner the better,’ he murmurs.

‘You think this brother will be like him?’

‘Maybe,’ Fred considers. ‘Hopefully not too much.’

‘One’s enough,’ George agrees.

‘Two would be a lot of trouble,’ Fred adds.

‘We’ll know soon enough.’

‘Yeah…we will.'


	2. Clan Urameshi

The paperwork never seemed to stop, it circled to be a never ending cycle with the monotony finally shattering with the death of a fourteen-year-old. The death and the resurrection. Insolence, ornery delinquent wrapped up in a wide-eyed baby face. It wasn’t hard to see that his insides were just as soft. Koenma almost found it cute if that wouldn’t be inappropriate to think about one’s lead detective. 

Urameshi Yusuke, against all odds and his own original expectations - that boy, had been a very successful assert. The Dark Tournament had proved not just Yusuke’s strength but his mettle. The more Koenma saw of his detective’s character, the more confident he felt. 

Other than the headaches and the irritation he more caused, Yusuke’s hadn’t caused any problems. Until, that is, then.

‘Lord Koenma! Sir!’ Jorge yells as he barges into Koenma’s office, startling the stomping stamp and jolting Koenma’s elbow into the tower of documents by his side. They fell, scattering in a thousand different directions onto the ground below. 

They both pause, knowing that reorganising everything would be at least a days work. ‘You _idiot!’_ Koenma yells in frustration as he was still catching up with his work with all the recent time he’s taken off. ‘What could _possible_ be so important -’

‘Urameshi, sir!’ Jorge interrupts through his heavy gasps, stumbling furthering into the office like he’d run a large distance. He was unsteady enough for Koenma to guess it was from Records, with the file that Jorge had curled in his large fist. 

‘What about him?!’ Koenma snaps without much sympathy, even if he begins to grow worried at the expression on the ogre’s face. It was…panicked, not something that was typical from one of his workers outside of difficult cases or his father’s interference. 

‘The - the investigation on Urameshi!’ Jorge manages to get out as he all but throws the file down in front of Koenma, no care for any of the other documents underneath it. ‘We’ve - sir, you need to read this!’

Koenma looks at the innocuous folder, labeled with this detective’s name. He’d ordered a background check a while ago, during Yusuke’s time as a ghost but everything was so hectic that these things took time. Koenma preferred that; to be slow rather than have one of his workers perform badly. Now, after all this time…

Koenma picks the folder up, and begins leafing through the contents. It began like how it was supposed to: _“Urameshi, Yusuke. Born 24th of July. Parents -“_

‘What.’

Jorge grimaces. ‘Keep reading, sir.’

 

> _“James and Lily Potter. Originally named_ William Sorrel Potter _._
> 
> _± Heads of the main branch of their family, key figures in the war against Dark Lord Voldemort before dying together in October, 1981. Both were deemed successful candidates for the afterlife. Angel, their ferry girl, reports that they were both resigned to death but pleasant given the circumstance._ **(For full report see page seven.)**
> 
> _Yusuke is adopted into Clan Urameshi at fifteen months, into the care of Urameshi Atsuko who was deemed old enough by the Japanese Empire of Mana after she petitioned after she was informed about him.  
>    
>  ± The Potter family had two other branches in America, (circa 1600s) and Japan (circa 1800s). The Urameshi family was once a prominent clan in Japan’s Magical Sector. Founded by Elias Potter, a relative to the late Abraham Potter, who was one of the original Twelve Aurors of MACUSA. Worked in the Congress in America before travelling to Japan for a mission. He falls in love and takes his partner’s family name to avoid risk of deportation when he returns after resigning from his post. _
> 
> _The reason for the subsequent fall of the Urameshi clan is unknown.”_

‘Jorge,’ Koenma groans.

‘Not finished yet, sir.’

Koenma’s eyes flicker to Jorge. The ogre’s was scrunched up in a deep distorted expression. Koenma knew Atsuko, they’d met at the Dark Tournament where Koenma had supposed with her tough attitude that the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree. Tough, involved with a few things that she shouldn’t be in her past but ultimately, normal. Now he was just confused. 

 

> _“Yusuke’s deportation into Japan was pushed through by Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore with the Wizengamot [1], current Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of Hogwarts under the Witness Protect acts. The younger brother, Harry James Potter -”_

Koenma feels his stomach tighten. _Brother,_ he thinks. You didn’t just separate two orphaned children and then but continents between them. Especially not with _magical_ children.

 

> _“Was placed with English relatives of his mother’s side [2]. Vernon and Petunia Dursley, non-magicals, living in Surrey with their own son, Dudley Dursley. He attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, won the Tri-Wizard Tournament and has recently been involved in a few notable scandals._
> 
> _± 1 Lily Joan Potter Nee Evens had complications during her pregnancy. As a result, Yusuke was birthed early while Harry was given a few more days in the womb. Born on the 31 of July._
> 
> _± 2 Though Yusuke’s immigration papers have the Wizengamot’s seal of approval, the Lords signatures are missing.”_

Koenma lowered the report and had to swallow. Yusuke wouldn’t know. That boy had a chip on his shoulder but it wouldn’t be because of this. This kind of thing caused bitterness, heavy bitterness, not just rebellion. ‘Why were the two separated?’

Jorge frowns. ‘The report -’

‘Is right in front of me,’ Koenma cuts in. ‘Yes, I’m aware. I want you to tell me. Why was Yusuke brought to Japan while Harry stayed in England?’

Jorge swallows. ‘Harry James Potter, sir. Don’t you remember?’ 

Koenma grit his teeth around the Ma Fū Kan even if his mind pranged with familiarity. ‘Evidently I don’t.’

‘The Boy-Who-Lived,’ Jorge elaborates and Koenma feels the blood drain from his face. ‘That Dark Lord’s returned, you were complaining about it -’

‘Just when Yusuke started as Spirit Detective,’ Koenma finishes. Yes, he’d be alerted to some idiot wizarding breaking mortality, stomping all over the rules. The ferry girl involved had been hysterical and had to be reassigned. He hadn’t been able to do anything about it though because even if he was in the business of death, he couldn’t _cause_ it. That and the whole case had been complicated with a prophecy, which his father always wanted to leave alone and allow to play out. 

‘Yusuke’s…brother, is -’

‘Harry Potter,’ Jorge confirms.

‘…you are sure of this?’ Koenma finds himself asking, partly in disbelieve over the situation that had been thrust into his lap and other just for - confirmation.

‘ _Sir,’_ Jorge sighs. ‘It’s accurate.’ 

‘He…’ Koenma sighs, knowing that this would have a huge blow back affect. It would explain at least, why Harry Potter would still be England though why Yusuke was sent to one of the Potter’s branch families… Yusuke’s reaction to this - His teeth grind against the Ma Fū Kan as he actively refuses the tantrum he desperately wants to throw himself into. He felt too tired, there was too much to do. ‘Get me Botan!’ 

Jorge flinches at the sound of his voice. ‘I need - just get me Botan! And make sure she brings Atsuko with her!’ The ogre hurries from his office, leaving Koenma with a headache and the knowledge that this would be a very long day. Sometimes he understood why his father would just destroy things that irritated him. 

Jorge would reenter his office far more professionally, with his two guests, hours later. Koenma had prepared and had made sure he looked a more appropriate age for when Atsuko graced him with her presence. She stood nonchalantly by Jorge’s side, Botan just a little ways behind her looking nervous. A cigarette hung from Atsuko’s fingers as she stared at him, eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

‘Urameshi-san,’ Koenma greeted as politely as he felt she was warranted. Reading through the rest of the file and it made mention that she was the head of her clan but he was also a prince here.

The woman snorted as she pushed her hair further from her face. Here, now, Koenma saw all the differences between her and Urameshi he hadn’t seen before. ‘Atsuko’s fine,’ she said as she swaggered forward, with a rhythm to her hips like she was the only one who could hear the music. ‘Yusuke’s boss. We’ve never really had much of a conversation.’

She took a seat unprompted. Absolutely no ceremony, just like her - Yusuke. ‘I suppose not,’ Koenma agrees. He hadn’t felt it necessary to mingle. However long Yusuke would be under his employ, it would be a mere moment in Koenma’s life. There wouldn’t be much point, if any. 

‘I suppose I should be thankin’ ya,’ she states. Her face is sharp, almost knowing in a way Yusuke’s was not but could be. A future he would be mirroring as fast as his job would demand he grow. ‘For bringing Yusuke back.’ 

‘The circumstance demanded to work around protocol.’ Koenma shrugs, hands stapled in front of him. ‘I believe it has worked out for the both of us.’ No need to tell her that Yusuke had originally refused the deal of resurrection, not only would it infuriate Yusuke but there were just some things you didn’t share, some moments too private, too weak. 

‘I appreciate it anyway,’ Atsuko says. It’s not said in ignorance, she knows that however much Koenma trusts in Yusuke, he is an _asset_. Koenma didn’t bring him back out of the goodness of his heart. Koenma can respect that.

Koenma nods. ‘As an employee I ordered a background check. It’s obligatory, you see. Spirit World is always backdated though, and since Yusuke seemed like such a normal human it wasn’t a particularly high priority.’

Atsuko takes a long drag of her cigarette as she crosses her legs and settles back in her chair as Botan comes up to stand behind her. ‘Sir, was there something wrong with the -?’ Botan begins but it’s as far as she can get as Atsuko breathes smoke into the room. 

‘Was wonderin’ if your lot knew,’ Atsuko states.

‘I suppose Yusuke doesn’t.’ It is not a question and Atsuko shakes her head. ‘Why. And how did you end up with him anyway, your age alone at the time -’

‘It’s a bit o’ a story,’ Atsuko says. ‘You know about my family?’

‘The Urameshi Clan, once very important in the Japanese Empire of Mana, part of the shogunate’ Koenma replies, seeing in his peripheral, Botan’s shocked face. ‘Before you fell from grace and lost your position in your magical government. I did wonder about that.’ 

‘Not much to tell,’ Atsuko responds nonchalantly, uninterested. ‘One of our relatives got a bit too - promiscuous. Caused this whole thing. She got married off to the Potter branch; tried to save honour but.. It’s not a big deal, we’re still strong where it matters.’ 

Koenma had seen the state of Yusuke’s living situation, he knew how Atsuko had had to earn money, how they both struggled. But here this woman was without an ounce of shame, Yusuke in her shadow, standing tall - maybe slouched but always tall - and understood the sentiment. 

‘I knew Yusuke’s parents. Nice people, _good_ people,’ Atsuko says apropos of nothing after Koenma had nodded. ‘Cousin James - he’d always stayed in touch. Not many Main Houses bother with branch families but the Potter’s had always been a bit different.’ 

“Potter” Botan mouthed to herself like she was trying to remember. It wouldn’t surprise Koenma if she figured it out. Harry Potter had been the talk of the Spirit World since he'd survived as a child, never mind his connection to that Dark Lord. Botan had always been a favourite of his too, meaning she’d heard him complain more than most. 

‘We’d talk even more after my parents died. Lost them just old enough to be able to keep the house and Cousin James sent me a stipend while I was in training.’ The ashes of Atsuko’s cigarette were going to fall soon. Koenma pulled open one of his draws and emptied one of his containers to give to her. ‘Thanks. Anyway, they spoke of this war sometimes. You’d hear about it on the grapevine in Japan; it’s not every day you get a rise of a Dark Lord, but it wasn’t real until they sent me a letter sayin’ they were going into hiding.’

‘And then they die,’ Koenma prompts. 

‘Murdered,’ Atsuko corrects but her voice is flat. ‘They only sent me one letter after that, about how the twins had been born. Thought they were fine since they were under some pretty severe protections, but then Albus Dumbledore comes banging on my door.’ Atsuko taps her cigarette into the container before taking another slow drag. 

_Albus Dumbledore,_ Koenma thinks, suddenly even more suspicious. ‘What did he want?’

Atsuko snorts. ‘For me to take in one of the kids.’ 

‘You were thirteen,’ Koenma feels the need to point out.

‘Fourteen by then, I’d hit my magical majority so legally I could.’ She fiddles with the rollup between her fingers when she uncrosses her legs, slumping forward to prop herself up on her thighs. ‘Dumbledore had caught me at a bad time. I weren’t all that strong magically anyway, but I’d just done this cleansing and I’d used up my allowance.’

‘You felt that you were in danger?’ Botan asks tightly.

Atsuko’s eyes flicker to her. ‘I can punch my way outta a lot o’ things, I’m good at that, but everyone knows who Dumbledore is.’ She took a breath. ‘He told me how Cousin James was dead and that Yusuke needed out of the country; said about what’d happened that night, but that Death Eaters were still out there and he had evidence to suspect that their Dark Lord would be back, and then the boys would be at an even greater risk.’ 

‘So you agreed,’ Koenma assumed but Atsuko’s face just tightens further.

‘I told him that I wanted both, that he was crazy if he thought I wouldn’t notice the absence of one. He was surprised I knew they were twins, probably hadn’t expected Cousin James to be in contact or something. He tried to appease me sayin’ he had a good home lined up for Harry but that just infuriated me. We got into a fight.’

Atsuko’s voice is heavy and energised with a fury she hasn’t let loose. It’s steaming in the confines of her flesh and Koenma finds himself surprised that a Urameshi would have the restraint. ‘Do you know why he wanted to keep Harry?’ He asks though the probably knows the answer.

The skin under Atsuko’s eyes tightened. ‘Said he needed Harry back in England because of _“what was to come”,_ I told him I didn’t give one and that if he thought I was gonna let this go he was crazy. He didn’t like that much, got his wand out at me.’ 

‘What did he do?’ Botan’s voice is deeper, getting angrier by the second. 

Atsuko nearly smiles. ‘You’re sweet,’ she says like she’s the oldest in the room. ‘He cast the obliviate.’

‘Er…’ Botan blinks.

‘You’ll have to refresh us,’ Koenma says. ‘None of us are entirely versed in spells.’

‘The “obliviate” is basically when you force someone to forget things. After you remove the memories you want, the victim is open to suggestions of what to fill the gaps.’ Atsuko kisses her teeth. ‘Stupid bastard didn’t think about how he was in my ancestral home. So fucking overconfident in his own power.’ 

Koenma could imagine the protections. ‘It didn’t work.’ 

Atsuko snorts scornfully. ‘No, but I wasn’t stupid, either. I was in the mist of my salad days; learnt shit. I knew I was outclassed so I went along with it. He wanted me to think I’d been sleeping around and got pregnant, that I’d just come back from the hospital.’ 

Koenma almost laughs. “Salad days,” is that what you called having connections with the Yakuza?Botan was more incensed. ‘That’s - despicable.’ 

Atsuko shrugs but it’s tighter than before. 'He told me my interest in the Wizarding World had lessened due to “bad experiences” and that I would wish to live as a muggle, with my son to try and give him better opportunities, away from the shame of our name.’ Her tone was acerbic and Koenma couldn’t blame her. ‘I wanted to kick his smiling face in but he had me over a barrel. I was young, from a disgraced clan with basically no connections and Dumbledore was an internationally famous wizard.’ 

Atsuko took a breath, glancing at Botan’s whose expression had cycled between horror, grief and murderous intentions; she had, after all, gotten close with the Urameshi’s. Perhaps too close. ‘It weren’t so easy startin’ from scratch. So, even if Dumbledore hadn’t suggested I start workin’ on the corner, I’d ‘ave had to.’

‘Aunt Atsuko,’ Botan breathes. 

‘You did a lot for Yusuke, knowing he wasn’t yours,’ Koenma probes.

Atsuko looks back at him. ‘How was I to know what that bastard was going to do with him if I didn’t? Kid was family regardless. I _named_ him.’ She pulls at her hair in frustration. ‘I did what I had to, to support us. But don’t go making a martyr outta me. I was protectin’ me too. A wizard who’ll obliviate someone don’t inspire trust.’

She felt threatened, as threatened as a proud woman like Atsuko could. Koenma didn’t need her to say it to hear it. ‘And Yusuke…’

Atsuko grimaces. ‘I kept up the act everywhere, wasn’t sure if Dumbledore would ever check in and Yusuke…’ she takes a long drag on her cigarette, her hand trembles. ‘He’s loyal to a fault and protective, that he had a brother - if I’d have told him, he wouldn’t stop until he could meet him and…that weren’t possible.’

Loyal and protective weren’t the first characteristics Koenma thought of when he imagined Yusuke. It was true, but Yusuke was never so upfront with his feelings unless he was forced into a corner or was having an emotional outburst. He did though, feel deeply.

‘If I could just protect one…’ Atsuko trails off. ‘I didn’t do a very good job. With Yusuke, I wasn’t old enough to be a mother; I did a thousand things wrong, but I did what I had to.’ 

‘Yusuke loves you,’ Botan states with conviction. 

‘Who knows for how much longer.’ Atsuko huffs. 'What a joke, eh? If it wasn't for you the kid would be dead. No Dark Lord needed.' 

Botan frowns. 'Yusuke running into traffic didn't have anything to do with your parenting skills. He - was being brave.' 

Atsuko glances at her, everything look she gives Botan here is fleeting. Koenma is starting to recognise the shame. '...I suppose he'd get that from his parents,' Atsuko mutters. 'But I still should have watched him more.' 

Knowing of Atsuko's behaviour surrounding the time of Yusuke's death, no one could really refute that without being disingenuous.

‘I suppose you’ll tell him,’ Atsuko states.

‘Yusuke is a valued employee,’ Koenma says. ‘And you are family. We protect our employees so I wouldn’t worry about the wizards, but I think that this has gone on long enough, don’t you?’

Atsuko shifts. ‘Albus Dumbledore -’

‘A mortal.’ Koenma shrugs. ‘I won’t let him interfere.’

Atsuko bit her lip. ‘ _Harry_ …’

The way Atsuko says his name - with longing, like she hadn't been able to voice it for a great deal of time.

‘Has been going to Hogwarts and is living with his mother’s relatives. Not necessarily safe from what my reports gather, but alive.’ Koenma ignores Atsuko’s glassy eyes. ‘There is a prophecy we have to take into account but I’ll make sure to be discrete.’

‘A prophecy,’ Atsuko laughs without humour. ‘Of course, I suppose that explains a few things. You’ll contact him.’

Koenma inclines his head. ‘After we’ve spoken to Yusuke. He deserves to be prepared.’ 

‘You sure have changed your tune, Lord Koenma,’ Botan says rather pointedly, eyebrow raised in judgement. 

‘Yes, yes. I don’t have the best track record. Must I remind you that those situations never allowed for it?’ Koenma returns, unimpressed. Botan simply harrumphs. ‘Do you know where Yusuke is to collect him?’ 

A sudden sheepish aspect transforms Botan’s demeanour. ‘Well, Actually…sir…’ she stalls just as his office door creeps open. Yusuke stands in the opening, a stunned almost absent expression on his face. Koenma hadn’t seen him so unsteady since Genkai’s death.

‘What?’ Yusuke’s voice trembles. Atsuko can’t bring herself to look over and the sudden stillness in Koenma’s office, with such energetic people, is unnatural. 

‘What?’ he asks again. 

Well. 

This at least saved time. 

(Botan would be getting a bollocking later, however, for now.)

‘Come in, Yusuke,’ Koenma sighs. ‘We need to talk.’ 


End file.
